Submitted by Allana from Leonardtown!
Dino-Hockey by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Barry Gott, is a picture book told in rhyme about one of my all-time favorite subjects–Ice Hockey. The book is illustrated with wonderful and amusing artwork. In this fixture, it’s the “Meat-Eaters” versus “Veggiesaurs,” and as they take the ice, and the puck is dropped, a hilarious contest ensues. With passing, checking, slashing, shooting, and penalties, the writer shows her knowledge of the sport, as well as genuine dinosaur names. Would you believe the referee is a Dodo? Well, I’ve seen some refs act like Dodos before, but we won’t go there! T-Rex scores first, with Raptor picking up the assist, as the “Meaties” take the lead. I get annoyed when someone gives away the final score of a game I haven’t yet watched, so I won’t spoil the ending here. This is an entertaining and unique children’s book for sports fans and Dino enthusiasts alike.
Dinosaurs
Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct
Submitted by Catherine from Lexington Park!
Have you ever been completely convinced you were right about something? You just knew it was true, but no one else seemed to care. This is what happens to poor Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie in Mo Willems’s Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct. Despite his protests, no one in his town will accept the fact that the beloved dinosaur Edwina is extinct. Finally, after explaining, protesting, and YELLING, Edwina listens to him – she is indeed extinct. But Edwina decides she doesn’t care. She’s too busy making friends and baking chocolate chip cookies to worry about being extinct. Will Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie worry about being right, or will he decide that being friends with a chocolate chip cookie baking dinosaur is even better than knowing everything?
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
If bed time is a big struggle in your house, consider reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. Yolen and Teague are the creators of the wonderful “How Do Dinosaurs” series of books, demonstrating appropriate versus inappropriate behavior in a variety of venues. In this installment, they treat us to possible answers to the titular question: Does a dinosaur pout when its time to go to bed? Do they stomp their feet and throw toys around the room? Do they moan and sulk and sigh and cry? They most certainly do not! Dinosaurs, as it turns out, have impeccable manners. When it’s time to turn out the lights, dinosaurs give a hug and kiss to mom and dad and say “good night!”
Tadpole Rex
Take a journey to prehistoric times with Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus. Meet Rex, a feisty tadpole, born in a swamp that forms in a Tyrannosaurus’s footprint. Watch him as he slowly transforms into a ferocious frog! Rex attacks duckbills and nearly trips a triceratops, releasing his fiercesome “Ribbet!” as he jumps through the air. This book is especially good for boys, but children in general tend to be fascinated by the transformation from tadpole to frog (or caterpillar to butterfly). It’s also full of fun sounds to make, like the “bloop” of bubbles in primordial goo, the “fleep” of Rex’s growing appendages, and of course, the “stomp” of his dinosaur neighbors. The book may even lead to a conversation about frogs, and how amazing it is that they have been on earth countless more years than we have!
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime
Do you have a little dinosaur living in your house? Does your child like to ROAR? If the answer to those questions is “yes” then Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea is the perfect book for you! Nothing can stop the little dinosaur in this story! A pile of leaves? Defeated! A big slide? Crushed! A bowl of spaghetti? Beaten! Talking grown-ups? Overcome! Again and again, little dinosaur is challenged, but he roars his way to victory every time. He is the champion of taking a bath, and triumphant at tooth brushing! But what happens when little dinosaur faces his biggest challenge yet: Bedtime? He roars and roars until he is too tired to roar anymore. Bedtime wins for now, but I’m sure little dinosaur will be back to roar again soon!